This paper summarises the government’s 2011 consultation on the right to buy initiative in England.
Communities and Local Government unveiled its consultation paper on the right to buy in November 2011, announcing proposals to increase the cap on discounts to £50,000. The new cap would double the maximum discount available in much of the country, while trebling it in most parts of London.
The revival of the right to buy, first announced during autumn’s Conservative Party conference, has been met with concern from some local authorities among fears that they would not be allowed to retain receipts from sales locally. Communities & Local Government said that the consultation would consider the different methods in that the receipts can be used to deliver replacement affordable rent homes on a one-for-one basis, as pledged by the government.
Housing minister Grant Shapps said the government was ‘determined to maintain the number of affordable homes for rent’, repeating the commitment that ‘every additional home that is sold will be replaced by a new affordable home on a one-for-one basis’. The Local Government Association has called for receipts to be retained in full by local councils and for councils to be allowed to decide on discount rates.
This paper discusses the different responses to the consultation from various organisations and people to discover its key points and the meaning behind them in a practical context.